No guitarist or bassist would ever dispute the impact that strings have on the sound of their instruments. Of course, since the ideal sound is a subjective thing that varies from one musician to another, the same can be said about the choice of strings. Different string makers all have their own trademarks, and for Cleartone, the biggest one is volume. That's why Dave Mustaine started using Cleartone 10's: they gave him the volume boost he didn't even know he needed. Another of Cleartone's claims to fame is their coating. They use a special surface treatment that's so thin you could easily mistake the strings for uncoated, but it lasts for ages despite that thinness. Cleartone says that their strings last three to five times longer than uncoated strings and never flake, and it's a promise that they do a good job delivering on. These are great strings if you want the benefits of a coating without the feel of one.

If you like a heavier sound and use unconventional tunings to get there, the Cleartone Monster Heavy Series could be the strings for you. These nickel-plated electric guitar strings come in standard 9's and 10's, but the really interesting varieties are the ones specially-made for drop A, C or D tuning. You might recognize the sound of the Cleartone Heavy Series Drop D strings - they're one of the ingredients used by Josh Rand to inject a bit of metal into Stone Sour's sound.

Electric guitars aren't the only instruments to benefit from Cleartone strings. For your acoustics, there are lots of bronze and phosphor-bronze strings in the Cleartone lineup, using the same high-tech coating. Bassists can pick up a set of 45's, and if you play the mandolin, Cleartone's medium and light-gauge mandolin strings are ready to make it sing.

Since strings are so important to the sound of your guitar, bass or mandolin, it deserves a set as good as the various Cleartone strings you'll find here. The "EMP" coating that Cleartone uses makes for strings that feel great, sound excellent and last long enough to surprise you.